Nivea celebrates National PDA Day in New York City's Herald Square

By Antoinette Alexander

NEW YORK — In an effort to emphasize the importance of touch, Beiersdorf’s Nivea brand hosted on Wednesday a consumer-engaging event in New York City’s Herald Square to celebrate National PDA Day and the official start of summer.

“The Nivea brand itself is based on a simple insight that something truly wonderful happens when skin touches skin and people connect, and it is the way that humans express important emotions like love and compassion and comfort and nurture. In today’s society, which is a lot more fast-paced and a lot more technology-driven, we are starting to see that consumers connect with friends in the digital world and they get together there, but often at the expense of the relationship that they have with their loved ones and the physical world,” Magnus Jonsson, VP marketing for Beiersdorf, told Drug Store News. “We think people should pledge to be more connected with their loved ones, to hug more, to kiss more, to touch more, which is toward the essence of the brand. With today being June 20, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, it is the perfect platform for us to say, ‘Let’s get out and publically display our affection for our loved ones and have a good time together.’”

Emmy-Award-winning talk show host Wendy Williams hosted the event. Celebrity couple Bill and Giuilana Rancic attended to talk about their relationship and how they remain close as a couple. Also on hand was Grammy-Award-winning artist Ne-Yo, who gave a special performance.

People who stopped by the event also had the opportunity to “spin the bottle” and win prizes, such as a $200 Nivea “date night” and free Nivea products. There also was a kissing booth and a photo booth.

But Nivea did not just focus on New York City. It spread the love nationwide through similar events also held on Wednesday in Los Angeles and nine other cities throughout the United States, including Seattle, Chicago and Phoenix.